Description:
Shiny gold/brown moth approximately 10mm in length. The wing tips have a hairy/feathery appearance and the wings themselves have dark brown spots (although these can easily be rubbed off).

Biology:
The larvae of these insects can cause considerable damage when they feed on articles that contain wool, mohair, fur, hair, feathers or other products of animal origin. The brown house moth will also feed on other organic debris including dried or mouldy food waste. The female lays up to 500 white eggs on the surface of fabrics which can hatch into larvae in as little as 10 days. The period of larval development is 6 weeks (under ideal conditions), during which time the larvae actively feed on fabrics etc.

Control:
Locate the source of infestation before treatment. Spilled foodstuffs and other waste material should be cleaned up; where old bird’s nests are present they should be removed and destroyed. Where necessary a residual insecticide can be applied to wall/floor and ceiling floor junctions and around carpet edges. If the infestation is present in a loft or roof space, the structure should also be treated with a residual insecticide and/or a space treatment (ULV, smoke etc).